I suggest not forcing each single thing to go your way. “OMG BUT COLE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A WOMANIZER UGHH”. Why?
When I write, I usually get this impression of every character. I look at them and my imagination automatically births a personality. Or small parts of their personality. I look at the LI and I think “ok, this guy has a really sweet relationship with his mother”. I write it down.
I don’t create a character to fill in a position. I create a position for the character I already created.
I find that the characters write themselves and it’s more natural to follow that route than to force something in there that will also radiate it was forced.
“UGHHH BUT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO KISS IN THIS SCENE” BUT I overdirected and overplanned it and overthought it and put way too many details in it and now the kissing scene won’t fit naturally into it. Well, then let them miss the kiss. It creates more suspense and longing from the reader. The more something is due, the more excited the readers will be when it actually happens. (but please don’t exaggerate, it might get boring or it might be visible that you’re delaying something on purpose to mess with the reader’s mind).
I think a good part of writing a story is planning and a good part is just going with the flow, listening to what the characters want.
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